Bad News for Duke

[LAXDawg14]

anyone think they still have a chance to play anymore lacrosse season this year?

Impossible! They don't have a Head coach anymore!

maybe an assistant coach will step up as head coach IF they play anymore lacrosse this season

[Lax_Stats]

I don't see this situation affecting Mike Pressler's resume in the least! He had absolutely nothing to do with this situation whatsoever!!! He is a proven winner with a great resume!! He will be snapped up rather quickly. Any program out there that was thinking about possibly making a coaching change after the 2006 season now has a huge incentive to do so knowing that Coach Pressler is available to possibly take their team to the national championships!

In a perfect world this would be true-but unfortunately this is not the case. Ask Gary Barnett (not exactly the same-but close enough for this illustration). If I am Pressler, I'm getting a good civil lawyer to clear my name.

It's not Pressler's name that is tarnished!!! The tarnish lies solely, guilty or not, on the players in question and unfortunately as well, Duke University. If I am an athletic director at a university with a lacrosse program that is potentially seeking a new coach... I'm already in touch with Coach Pressler!

[Sonny]

I don't see this situation affecting Mike Pressler's resume in the least! He had absolutely nothing to do with this situation whatsoever!!! He is a proven winner with a great resume!! He will be snapped up rather quickly. Any program out there that was thinking about possibly making a coaching change after the 2006 season now has a huge incentive to do so knowing that Coach Pressler is available to possibly take their team to the national championships!

In a perfect world this would be true-but unfortunately this is not the case. Ask Gary Barnett (not exactly the same-but close enough for this illustration). If I am Pressler, I'm getting a good civil lawyer to clear my name.

It's not Pressler's name that is tarnished!!! The tarnish lies solely, guilty or not, on the players in question and unfortunately as well, Duke University. If I am an athletic director at a university with a lacrosse program that is potentially seeking a new coach... I'm already in touch with Coach Pressler!

Lax_Stats,

Yes, people are innocent until proven guilty. But I suggest you stop playing Perry Mason on the message board for a case that you are not involved with. It's clear you are passionate about the situation, but there is already enough innuendo in both directions. We don't need anymore.

While Pressler probably didn't commit any crimes, (at a minimum) it appears that he did recruit some scholarship athletes that exhibited some poor judgement (having strippers at an off-campus party during the season with underage drinking involved). That obviously doesn't make him Ted Bundy and I'm not saying that all college athletes act like saints the entire time they are on campus -- But, the players most likely broke team and/or Duke University rules. Let's let the situation play out with Duke University. I'm sure if the players are all exonerated, there will plenty of lawsuits for the defense attorneys for all the numerous parties involved.

[StrykerFSU]

I agree with Lax_stats, Coach Pressler will have no problem finding work.

And I don't know what some of you did in college but in nearly 10 years that I have been involved with college athletics my experience has been that underage drinking is a reality and if you don't think that 99.9% of underage athletes drink, well then I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you. Personally, I find a party with strippers to be distasteful and even left such a party thrown by my fraternity for just that reason. That kind of party was undoubtedly a mistake for Duke Lacrosse and I am certain that it violates team and school policy but I think it is hardly worthy of the draconian punishments handed down so far.

I hope that when this mess is finally cleared up all players are given an extra year of eligibility and allowed to transfer with no penalty if they so choose. As to suing the accuser, I'm not so sure that anyone will get very far with that one as I wouldn't imagine that she has the means to compensate all of the players. The DA, if he hopes to keep his job, should be seriously looking into bringing charges against the accuser because as Judge Napolitano said on Bill O'Reilley last night, she has cost the county of Durham over $100,000 in investigation costs on top of the damage she has caused to the players, school, and community. Judge Napolitano also said that he expected the DA to drop the case in the next day or two. If and when that happens I hope that everyone, on this board included, rethinks how they may have rushed to judgement and were led down the primrose path by a media that was licking its chops to convict a bunch of rich, white boys.

[swampthing]

i don't think he'll have a tough time finding a job, but nonetheless this could affect him as far as how high the quality of the program he goes to is or how he'll be considered in the future (for awards/pay or things of that nature) because it is, after all, a blemish on his record whether his fault or not.

AMEN TO WHAT STRYKER SAID very well put

[Lax_Stats]

I don't see this situation affecting Mike Pressler's resume in the least! He had absolutely nothing to do with this situation whatsoever!!! He is a proven winner with a great resume!! He will be snapped up rather quickly. Any program out there that was thinking about possibly making a coaching change after the 2006 season now has a huge incentive to do so knowing that Coach Pressler is available to possibly take their team to the national championships!

In a perfect world this would be true-but unfortunately this is not the case. Ask Gary Barnett (not exactly the same-but close enough for this illustration). If I am Pressler, I'm getting a good civil lawyer to clear my name.

It's not Pressler's name that is tarnished!!! The tarnish lies solely, guilty or not, on the players in question and unfortunately as well, Duke University. If I am an athletic director at a university with a lacrosse program that is potentially seeking a new coach... I'm already in touch with Coach Pressler!

Lax_Stats,

Yes, people are innocent until proven guilty. But I suggest you stop playing Perry Mason on the message board for a case that you are not involved with. It's clear you are passionate about the situation, but there is already enough innuendo in both directions. We don't need anymore.

While Pressler probably didn't commit any crimes, (at a minimum) it appears that he did recruit some scholarship athletes that exhibited some poor judgement (having strippers at an off-campus party during the season with underage drinking involved). That obviously doesn't make him Ted Bundy and I'm not saying that all college athletes act like saints the entire time they are on campus -- But, the players most likely broke team and/or Duke University rules. Let's let the situation play out with Duke University. I'm sure if the players are all exonerated, there will plenty of lawsuits for the defense attorneys for all the numerous parties involved.

I am NOT playing "Perry Mason" at all and I resent your personal attack on me in this open forum which is a violation of your own rules!!! I certainly wasn't playing "Perry Mason" with my last posting in any way, shape, or form! It is NOT coach Pressler's responsibility for this situation happening! He had no way of knowing these players would hold a questionable party of the type they did. I have a right to my opinion that these guys are at least innocent until proven guilty! If you are going to claim that coach Pressler is guilty somehow for this situation taking place, then we must immediately call for the resignation of all coaches from all over the country who have had a player commit a crime or some other violation of some sort. If that is the case, then all coaches everywhere are about to lose their jobs.

[DanGenck]

I am so sad about this story... what a giant step back for victims rights that this woman may be inflicting. There is already an air of "you must have done something wrong..." to rape victims and false stories (if this is so) will only hurt more.

Makes me not want to have daughters.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

If it turns out this woman "made up" this story, as some are suggesting. . .especially in light of the DNA tests that have cleared the Duke players. . .

She will likely face prosecution herself. Dan, I agree it is a sad day for the victims of violent crimes. It's really sad for everyone involved at every level.

The whole thing sucks.

[Bluevelvet]

Despite information from Bill O'Reilly to the contrary, the DA says he will not drop the investigation.

DURHAM, N.C. – Durham County's chief prosecutor said Tuesday he will not abandon his investigation into the alleged rape and beating of an exotic dancer at a party thrown by members of Duke University's lacrosse team.

“A lot has been said in the press, particularly by some attorneys yesterday, that this case should go away,” District Attorney Mike Nifong told a community forum. “My presence here means that this case is not going away.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20060411-0859-dukelacrosse-investigation.html

[Bluevelvet]

I think there are 2 factors at play here.
1) The DA is convinced that the victim was telling the truth (even if he might have a tough time proving it).
2) The DA is a political animal. Some segments of the Durham community want the investigation to proceed.

I really can't imagine that the DA will take this case to trial, knowing that he will probably lose. But he has already stuck his neck out pretty far and certainly will have to keep this investigation going as long as possible for political reasons.

[Tim Whitehead]

I am NOT playing "Perry Mason" at all and I resent your personal attack on me in this open forum which is a violation of your own rules!!!

1. There was no personal attack in Sonny's post. Just a suggestion.
2. If you want to discuss personal attacks, let's talk about the two private messages you sent me last week.

[Zeuslax]

From what I understand the DA is still aggressively pursuing this case. From the news post that I just read on Yahoo, a large percentage of rape victims typically don't have DNA found. Largely this will or could come down to the witness stand. The underlying theme to the press conference was the case is moving forward and has a long way to go.

I think this story is scary in many fronts. Just the accusation of this crime can destroy you (both the accuser and accused) as we are witnessing. In addition, the level of politics that always comes in to play with something of this magnitude. I thought the taste of the DA's location for the press conference was questionable and added fuel to the fire today.

[OAKS]

I really don't see how the statistic involving whether DNA was found or not can be applied to this particular. The scene where the rape supposedly took place seems like it is a pretty controlled environment. Maybe if they had statistics involving how often DNA was found in a bathroom where 3 men allegedly raped someone, then we could use those.

[Zeuslax]

Oaks stated:

really don't see how the statistic involving whether DNA was found or not can be applied to this particular. The scene where the rape supposedly took place seems like it is a pretty controlled environment. Maybe if they had statistics involving how often DNA was found in a bathroom where 3 men allegedly raped someone, then we could use those.

I was attempting to not be too graphic. Basically the stats that I saw were in reference to DNA found on the person. The point was, that even though DNA wasn't found it's typical for it to not be found in rape cases. Actually more often than not. Its relevant because as sucessful as DNA has been to prove true guilt or innocence (many have been exonerated with the advent of DNA testing) in the last few years, many believe that its absence or presence closes or shuts a case. That is just not so.

[Danny Hogan]

there was DNA on the girl, just not blue devil dna.

you may have known that, just making sure though.